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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23102425">Singular</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/QU4RTZ/pseuds/QU4RTZ'>QU4RTZ</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Girls Frontline, 奇迹暖暖 | Miracle Nikki | Love Nikki (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Character Death, Friendship, Gen, Guns, Minor Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:54:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,288</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23102425</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/QU4RTZ/pseuds/QU4RTZ</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nikki is the reincarnation of a weapon that was given the ability to question its existence in a wartorn world. All of Nikki's resolve, all of Nikki's loyalty to her friends, and the willingness to use force.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Singular</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For the many who probably don't know what Girls' Frontline is: it's a story about human-looking robots called T-Dolls with limited sentience being used as weapons to fight against rogue military AIs. They're all named after the weapons they're imprinted onto -  the gun they use. In the story, most of the robots have limited free will, but some robots have more agency. M4A1 is a very valuable T-Doll due to lots of plot reasons and has more free will than others. Over the course of the story, her friends (who are ordered to protect her at all costs) and many other T-Dolls sacrifice themselves to save her. Also, the actual human military gets involved and attempts to kill her friends.  ST AR-15 is one of M4A1's squad members.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The rain was falling tranquilly, yet Nikki’s heart was anything but. She had a feeling that Lunar wouldn’t be alright, that she needed to be just a bit faster, and was fighting the urge to tell Bobo to run, to tell Momo to be silent. The streets of Cloud City were slick with the rain, yet she felt as though they should be slick with blood.<br/>
A long time ago, a young Nikki had opened her eyes, and had understood that she wasn’t a normal person. She remembered blood, she remembered death, she remembered an endless search for meaning, for lost friends, for the answer to her existence. She had learned to find joy in clothing and expression, where before she had only grime and a uniform. And she had resolved to protect her friends in her new life.<br/><br/>
That was why, after defeating Nidhogg’s subordinate in a styling battle, she didn’t scream Lunar’s name. She pulled out the small gun hidden beneath her frilly floral dress, and fired. The bullet flew faster than Nikki could ever run, even as she splashed through the streets to reach Lunar, and made the general pause, giving Lunar enough time to step back.<br/>
“Using force like this… Are you truly willing to do anything to bring war? Even bring down the curse upon yourself…?” Lunar said, barely loud enough to be heard over the pouring rain.<br/>
“You talk so much about fate, yet-“<br/><br/>
“Nidhogg.” Nikki interrupted as she readied her small firearm once more. “I promised myself, a long time ago, that I wouldn’t let anyone hurt my friends. I don’t like fighting, I don’t like war, and I don’t like having to choose between saving myself or the people around me. But you came into Cloud, you came to Cloud City, and you’re going to stain Miraland in blood, so… I’m going to stop you.”<br/>
“Nikki, you can’t! The blood curse! If you harm or kill someone… then you’ll experience incredible pain and suffering… Please, Nikki…” Bobo cried out, her eyes filling with tears from the shock of Nikki’s declaration and the idea of her friend suffering such pain.<br/><br/>
“Nikki, if you stop Nidhogg like this, then you’ll become just like him. Someone who brings blood to the innocent and obstructs the peace of Miraland,” Lunar advised, her voice wavering yet still reminiscent of her typical tranquility and grace.<br/><br/>
Nidhogg was silent, his eyes communicating a silent dismissal of Nikki’s resolve. Her gun was still ready in her hand. She remembered military men in her past, men who had emotionlessly fired at her comrades, who had betrayed them all for their own goals. She had never killed a human before with these hands. But she remembered the pain of betrayal and the pain of war. Would it be worth it? She inhaled, exhaled. She recalled someone’s words to her, a long time ago. “If you want to die, think about SOP-II’s smile first.”  And yet, she’d also told her, “don’t let our sacrifices be in vain.”<br/><br/>
What should she do? What could she do? She didn’t want her friends to suffer. That was all she wanted. She didn’t want Lunar’s hard work to be in vain. She didn’t want her long journey to reach Lunar to be made pointless. She didn’t want Miraland to become like the world she had left, torn apart by countless wars and desolate.<br/><br/>
“I understand, everyone. But if I don’t stop Nidhogg here, who will?” The sound can be heard beyond the rain, beyond Bobo’s sobs, beyond Momo tugging at her dress with sad mewls. The pain comes after. A clean shot, right through the head. And now, she feels as though she is burning, an agony pulsing through her. His lifeless eyes still seem to stare at her for a moment, until his body at last crumples to the ground.<br/><br/>
“Nikki!” Bobo embraces her, still sobbing, her body shaking. “Are you okay?”<br/><br/>
“Will Cloud City be safe now?” Nikki managed.<br/><br/>
Lunar nodded silently, eyeing the North soldiers that were wiping away tears and beginning to retreat. The residents of Cloud City were also silent, torn between praise for Nikki’s bravery and sorrow for a life lost.<br/><br/>
“M4A1.” A steady voice that was familiar to Nikki.<br/><br/>
“Mela. Are you going to reprimand me?” Her voice was confident, belying her small regret and her pain.<br/><br/>
“You’re still putting others above yourself, huh? Are you ever going to change?” Her blond hair seemed pink to Nikki’s weepy eyes.<br/><br/>
“No. I’m still alive, aren’t I? What’s a little pain for Lunar’s happiness?”<br/><br/>
“You’re supposed to save Miraland. How are you going to do that when you can barely stand?”<br/><br/>
“I’m not alone. I have Lunar, and Bobo, and Momo, and even you. I’m not going to run off on my own, this time.”<br/><br/>
“The way you’re speaking… Do you know Mela from somewhere else? From before we met?” Lunar asked.<br/><br/>
“We were friends. Are… we still friends, Lunar? Bobo? Momo?”<br/><br/>
“Of course!” A unanimous and heart-wrenching reply.<br/><br/>
Nikki took Lunar’s hand, who took Bobo’s hand, who held Momo’s paw. And, sighing, Mela inserted herself into the circle between Momo and Nikki.<br/><br/>
“To peace, I guess. For some reason, I still have faith in you. That you can save this world. You’ve pulled off a lot of impossible strategies over the years, M4… No, Nikki.” Mela said with a hint of laughter.<br/><br/>
“To peace. And may you never need to harm another in my defense, Nikki. My dream has always been to become the greatest designer, and to bring peace to Miraland. Sorry… that I failed… but thanks to you, I have another chance. I won’t give up,” Lunar swore passionately.<br/><br/>
“We’ve been together this whole time, Nikki, but there’s still so much we don’t know about each other. There’s a lot that I haven’t told you… and a lot you haven’t told me… but I’m glad to be your friend. If you want to bring peace to Miraland, then I’m with you, Nikki.” Bobo wiped away her tears and smiled faintly.<br/><br/>
“Miraland is so pretty and wonderful! Please protect it, Nikki! And gimme more grilled fish,” Momo whined, making everyone giggle despite the rain and the tense atmosphere.<br/><br/>
“Miraland is a wonderful place where people can settle disputes with fashion instead of violence. I don’t want this beautiful place to be filled with war and suffering. I don’t want to lose my friends because I’m too weak to do anything. Lunar, Bobo, Momo, ST – Mela, and Kimi… I don’t need to become stronger, because I became strong a long time ago, before I ever came to Miraland. But I’ve been keeping that strength a secret. I won’t anymore. If all of you want to help me… then thank you. But don’t let me become more important to you than anything else, because all of you are important to other people, too.” Tears ran down Nikki’s face.<br/><br/>
Many difficult things would come in Nikki’s future. She would be separated from her friends, she would face many enemies, and she would take on the scars left by the many troubled pasts of those in Miraland. But she had the strength to fight, not only with force but with her determination and words. She had suffered and yet had received another chance to live. She understood the pain of loss and the pain of living beyond it, the pain of war and the pain of desperately trying to end it.<br/><br/>
And, somewhere, a perpetually lost girl clutched a book close to her chest. “The stars say that a great change is coming… I wonder, M4, are you out there somewhere?” She grinned. “I’m not going to leave you behind this time.”</p><p>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for all the ellipses, the... admittedly terrible pacing, and one of the more out of place LN crossovers. I don't think there are even any Girls Frontline fanfiction on this site. If it was at least mildly entertaining, please feel free to leave a review with advice on how to improve, your thoughts on the story, etc.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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